Martin Luther King Day Book Recommendations

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s tireless efforts to establish equity for all Americans, regardless of race, contributed immensely to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize. As we remember his legacy, we also recognize the enormity of the work of racial equality. Our writing staff has gathered a list of recommended books to help you understand the importance and necessity of Dr. King’s work in today’s world.

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Dear Martin

By Nic Stone

This New York Times bestseller follows the story of Justyce McAllister, a Black teenager attending a predominantly white preparatory high school on scholarship. After becoming a victim of racial profiling, Justyce tries to make sense of his experiences by penning letters to the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

How to Be an Anti-Racist Family

By Martin Sekkat

Sekkat shares 25 stories of racism in everyday life in a format designed to be shared and discussed with kids. Meant to empower families to talk about tangible ways to combat the racism they witness around them, this book provides a framework to introduce the idea of racism without becoming pedantic or repetitive.

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An African American and Latinx History of the United States

By Paul Ortiz

Scholar and activist Paul Ortiz takes on the intersectional struggle for civil rights shared by Black and Latinx Americans across more than 200 years of American history. Ortiz draws from primary sources to argue that US history is one of the working class organizing against imperialism. And that Black, Indigenous, and Latinx Americans have been front and center in that fight.

So You Want to Talk about Race

By Ijeoma Oluo

This #1 New York Times bestseller is a must for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our current racial climate and who wants to learn to navigate challenging conversations about race. From police brutality to cultural appropriation to the model minority myth, this book educates. At the same time, it inspires us to take on fundamental transformation.

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Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools

By Monique Morris

Black girls across the country face disproportionate suspensions and expulsions, funneling them into the school-to-prison pipeline. Morris compellingly conveys the immense challenges confronting young Black women and girls and what we need to do to help them flourish instead.

The Bluest Eye

By Toni Morrison

Eleven-year-old Pecola grows up after the Great Depression. Believing she will only be safe and loved if she transforms into the blue-eyed, blonde-haired ideal America idolizes. This classic novel from the Nobel Prize-winner examines race, gender, and belonging in Morrison’s hauntingly poetic prose.